MANILA: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday welcomed Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Saud bin Naif at the presidential palace.Duterte’s spokesman Harry Roque described the meeting as “very warm and cordial,” with the president and minister reiterating both countries’ commitment to fighting terrorism.The prince was on a three-day official visit to Manila. He and Duterte discussed strengthening bilateral ties and issues of mutual importance, particularly law enforcement, peace, security, and promoting the welfare of Filipino migrant workers.Duterte thanked him for the visit, and the prince conveyed King Salman’s personal and warm wishes as he reaffirmed the importance of the Philippines to Saudi Arabia.The minister also conveyed the king’s “deep respect” for Duterte’s “strong and decisive action that led to the liberation of Marawi (city) from extremists and terrorists.”Duterte stressed the need to expand trade and investment cooperation, and to promote the rights, safety and wellbeing of Filipinos.He hosted a luncheon for Prince Abdul Aziz in President’s Hall. The minister held separate talks with some of Duterte’s Cabinet members.On Sunday, the prince received Mindanao Development Authority Chairman Datu Abul Khayr Alonto at the Shangri-La at the Fort.They discussed enhancing ties between the two countries, and the Saudi commitment to peace and development in Mindanao.Alonto thanked the prince for his continuing support, especially to the island’s Muslim population.The prince also met with Eduardo Ano, interior and local government officer in charge, with whom he discussed cooperation between the two countries’ interior ministries.The prince also met with Labor Minister Silvestre Bello III and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon.In April 2017, Duterte paid a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia as part of his three-nation tour of the Middle East.

LONDON: Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman kicked off the third leg of his foreign tour on Monday with a visit to the United States.The trip follows visits to both Egypt and the UK earlier this month, which led to a string of political and economic agreements signed between the kingdom and two of its key allies.But the visit to the US aims to build on what is possibly Saudi Arabia’s most important relationship, one which has been strengthened with the arrival of Donald Trump in the White House.The Royal Court said the crown prince had left Saudi Arabia and that during the visit he will meet Trump and a number of officials “to discuss bilateral relations and issues of common interest,” Saudi Press Agency reported.The meeing with the US president will take place on Tuesday for talks, the White House, said.Christopher Henzel, the Charge d’Affaires at the US embassy in Riyadh said he was confident Trump and the crown prince would “enjoy open and candid discussions on a variety of issues.”High on the agenda is Iran, and how to rein in its influence in the Middle East – something both men believe is one of the biggest threats to the region.Trump has threatened to scrap the 2015 deal between Iran and international powers intended to curb its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.“The United States is focused on neutralizing Iran’s destabilizing influence and constraining its aggression,” Henzel added, in an opinion article in Monday’s Arab news.The Crown Prince warned in an interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes program aired on Sunday that if Iran was able to develop a nuclear weapon, Saudi Arabia would “follow suit”.Norah O’Donnell, who conducted the interview, the first by the crown prince with an American broadcaster, told Arab News that no subjects were off topic – perhaps a precursor to the frank conversations that will take place between the Saudi delegation and US leaders and business people in the coming days.“It seemed to me that there was a desire to show the American public what he believes, to show that Saudi Arabia is changing. The crown prince wants the US audience to understand him,” O’Donnell said. The crown prince’s sweeping social and economic reform program has been met with a groundswell of optimism in Washington. Many in the foreign policy establishment are keen to find out more about the heir to the throne and details about his domestic and foreign agenda.“Mohammad bin Salman has started a hugely positive cultural reform program in Saudi Arabia, particularly the theological struggle to return the Kingdom to its roots in moderate Islam,” Jim Smith, who served as the US ambassador to Saudi Arabia between 2009 and 2013, told Arab News.“Winning that war of ideas, and succeeding in the other major policy challenges, depends not only on the crown prince’s leadership but also on how good the team that he has assembled around him is, and how strong the institutions they build together are.”

]]>http://international-africa.com/2018/03/19/saudi-arabias-crown-prince-leaves-ksa-to-begin-us-trip/feed/0Kevin Love to return for Cavaliers against Milwaukeehttp://international-africa.com/2018/03/19/kevin-love-to-return-for-cavaliers-against-milwaukee/
http://international-africa.com/2018/03/19/kevin-love-to-return-for-cavaliers-against-milwaukee/#respondMon, 19 Mar 2018 23:20:38 +0000http://international-africa.com/2018/03/19/kevin-love-to-return-for-cavaliers-against-milwaukee/CLEVELAND (AP) Cavaliers forward Kevin Love will return Monday after missing six weeks because of a broken left hand.

Cleveland was 11-9 without Love, who was injured on Jan. 30. He’s averaging 17.9 points and 9.4 rebounds in 48 games.

Associate head coach Larry Drew said Love’s minutes will be restricted in Cleveland’s game against Milwaukee. Drew is running the team while coach Tyronn Lue takes a leave of absence to address health issues that have included chest pains and a loss of sleep.

The Cavaliers are third in the Eastern Conference despite dealing with several injuries. Larry Nance Jr. (sore right hamstring), Rodney Hood (strained lower back), Cedi Osman (strained left hip flexor) and Tristan Thompson (sprained right ankle) were ruled out of Monday’s game.

Kyle Korver has returned to the team after missing Saturday’s game because of a family emergency. He’s also been dealing with a sore right foot and was a game-time decision Monday.

]]>http://international-africa.com/2018/03/19/kevin-love-to-return-for-cavaliers-against-milwaukee/feed/0Jayhawks look to advance, of course, but with a bit more authority next timehttp://international-africa.com/2018/03/19/jayhawks-look-to-advance-of-course-but-with-a-bit-more-authority-next-time/
http://international-africa.com/2018/03/19/jayhawks-look-to-advance-of-course-but-with-a-bit-more-authority-next-time/#respondMon, 19 Mar 2018 23:20:33 +0000http://international-africa.com/2018/03/19/jayhawks-look-to-advance-of-course-but-with-a-bit-more-authority-next-time/LAWRENCE, Kan. — The only thing Bill Self seemed pleased about from a first-round NCAA Tournament win by Kansas was, well, the fact that his top-seeded Jayhawks had won.

He wasn’t a whole lot more impressed with their second-round win.

But in a tournament gone goofy with upsets, where two No. 1 seeds are already out, simply surviving should be reason for applause. And the fact that Self thinks the best is yet to come should give the Jayhawks confidence as they head to the Midwest Region semifinals.

“Well, I think in the NCAA Tournament you don’t worry as much if you played well or if you played poor,” Self said. “You worry more about, ‘Did we advance?’ And I think that’s all we did, is we advanced.”

Kansas will play red-hot Clemson on Friday night in Omaha, Nebraska.

“I don’t think we were good against Penn, except for short stretches, and I don’t think we were very good (against Seton Hall), except for short stretches,” Self said. “But we put ourselves in position where hopefully we’ll play much better next week and play our best ball. Certainly, we’re going to have to be better, obviously, on Friday.”

It will help the Jayhawks’ cause if Udoka Azubuike is closer to 100 percent against the Tigers.

The 7-foot sophomore played 22 minutes against Seton Hall, and the Jayhawks needed all of them against Pirates big man Angel Delgado. But while Azubuike was effective after missing most of two weeks with a ligament injury to his left knee, there were still times that he was laboring.

“He’s probably not close to 100 percent, to be honest, but the way his attitude has been, the way he’s been rehabbing, that allowed him to get out there,” Kansas star Devonte’ Graham said. “You can’t duplicate having Doke in the game. He’s a big piece of our offense.”

Now, Azubuike will have another week to get his feet — or rather his knee — under him.

Self said the plan was to rest him Sunday and Monday, practice Tuesday through Thursday, and be ready to go against a fifth-seeded Clemson team that ran roughshod over No. 4 seed Auburn.

“Coach is trying to limit my time sometimes, and I’m like, ‘Coach, I’m good. I’m good to go,'” Azubuike said with a smile. “I’m feeling good right now. I feel good to be back with the team. And like, as soon as I stepped on the court, I felt good and I was just good to go.”

Still, the Jayhawks (29-7) have had only one person step up offensively each of their first two NCAA Tournament games, and that’s cause for concern. When they’ve struggled this season, such as losses to Washington and Arizona State, nobody in their talented backcourt came through in the clutch.

Against Penn, it was Graham who shouldered the load. He scored 29 points, dished out six assists with six rebounds, and played all but one minute in a game tight until the second half.

Against Seton Hall, the Big 12 player of the year was largely silenced, perhaps in part by a shot to the head he took from his own teammate. But sophomore Malik Newman took over, the Big 12 Tournament’s most valuable player hitting four 3-pointers and pouring in 28 points in an 83-79 victory.

“With the four guards and with the big man, I think anybody — any one of our starting five — always have a chance to go out and get 20-plus,” Newman said. “Lot of weapons we have to our arsenal.”

They’ll likely need more than one of them Friday night.

Clemson closed the first half against Auburn with a 25-4 run, was lights-out on offense and brutal on defense, and was never threatened the rest of the way in an 84-53 romp that sent coach Brad Brownell’s program to its first Sweet 16 in 21 years.

“That was probably as impressive of a performance as anyone has had in the tournament so far and there have been some great performances,” Self said. “They dominated Auburn in every area — perimeter play, speed, rebounding and in the paint. Watching them was like watching a clinic.

“They’ve played against some unbelievable teams all year long,” he added. “This will be a difficult game. A game that will require us to play a lot better than we did this past weekend.”

McCray signed with the Jaguars on Monday. He had been an unrestricted free agent after signing a one-year deal with Jacksonville in 2017.

McCray says he’s “been waiting to find a home and I’m excited to be back here and finish the unfinished business that we left last year.”

The 6-foot-3, 249-pound McCray recorded a career-high nine special teams tackles in 13 games last season. He previously spent time with Buffalo and Green Bay after signing as an undrafted rookie with Denver in 2013.

McCray has played in 50 games over five seasons, notching 28 tackles and three sacks.

McCray won a Super Bowl in 2015 with the Broncos and was a key member of special teams, where he played for current Jaguars special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis.

‘Brown Bomber’ Louis claimed the heavyweight world titles and Ring Magazine’s strap in 1937 by knocking out James J. Braddock.

The American retained his titles for a further 25 fights and was the heavyweight king for eleven years and ten months.

‘You all need to know me plan now,’ Fury told his Instagram followers in a video on Monday.

‘I just set myself a goal of beating the great Joe Louis’ record of 25 title defences. Wladimir Klitschko almost beat Joe Louis’ record until I beat him and stopped him from equalling the great Joe Louis’ record.

‘So I’ve got 25 titles defences to beat in the next ten years. Even if I put on three, four fights a year, I’ll beat it.

‘So, it’s going to be a hard challenge but I’ve never set a challenge I can’t make. What’s that word? Longevity. That’s what I’m looking forward.

Joe Louis’s defence record has stood for 70 years (Picture: Getty)(Picture: Getty)

Fury stopped Wladimir Klitschko from equalling Louis record when the pair met in Dusseldorf in November 2015.

But, Fury has not fought since that outing and served a back-dated two-year doping ban that expired at the start of this year.

There is still no word about when Fury’s comeback fight might be, but the boxer is still to link up with a new promoter.

Fury is though back in full training, has paired with new coach Ben Davies and is rapidly shedding all the weight he put on during his time away from the ring.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

The Telegraph claim the board are concerned Mourinho’s public outbursts against Shaw will cause his transfer value to plummet.

Mourinho raged with Shaw during the first half of the FA Cup quarter-final against Brighton as he shouted instructions, and it is not the first time the United boss has hit out at the full-back.

Shaw has been on the receiving end of several scathing public attacks from Mourinho and the outbursts have not gone unnoticed by United players.

He was hauled off at half-time against Brighton (Picture: AP)

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

Some senior figures in the dressing have become so concerned with Mourinho’s treatment of Shaw, they are considering confronting their manager about the issue.

Mourinho’s staff are also thought to share some of the players’ concerns. Meanwhile, Shaw’s contract is set to expire in the summer and he is privately angry with the criticism from Mourinho.

Shaw is thought to be considering whether his future lies away from United and Mourinho, but he does have the backing of much of the figures inside the club.

What Mourinho said after the match…

‘It was a decision was one player for another player in the same position. I wanted to defend better, I want my defensive line to be more solid in relation to a few, not many.

‘But a few offensive movements they made from the sides and I want more personality in the team because many many times I felt that Matic was an island of personality of desire and control surrounded by not water but lack of personality, lack of class and lack of desire.

‘It was my decision. My reason is that we work on the pitch on certain kinds of movement, with the two full-backs being aggressive to make space for Matic and McTominay. I couldn’t change them both, I decided Luke because Antonio was at least capable defensively.’

(Picture: Getty)(Picture: Reuters)

Mourinho has questioned Shaw’s commitment to his career, as well as his fitness levels in the past, but did say in February that he would be receive a contract extension.

But, the 22-year-old’s relationship with Mourinho seems to have gone off a cliff since then and there is now seems no guarantee Shaw will be handed a new deal.

Shaw has played 19 this season, only six of his 16 Premier League appearances have been starts.

]]>http://international-africa.com/2018/03/19/manchester-united-board-concerned-jose-mourinho-is-harming-luke-shaws-transfer-fee/feed/0Craig Kimbrel: Infant daughter’s heart surgery ‘toughest thing’ his family has been throughhttp://international-africa.com/2018/03/19/craig-kimbrel-infant-daughters-heart-surgery-toughest-thing-his-family-has-been-through/
http://international-africa.com/2018/03/19/craig-kimbrel-infant-daughters-heart-surgery-toughest-thing-his-family-has-been-through/#respondMon, 19 Mar 2018 23:20:13 +0000http://international-africa.com/2018/03/19/craig-kimbrel-infant-daughters-heart-surgery-toughest-thing-his-family-has-been-through/ "There's no denying it's been the toughest thing we've ever been through," Kimbrel said in a news conference at the team's spring training facility. "In the last week, her recovery has been unbelievable, and she's showing great signs."

Kimbrel's daughter, Lydia Joy, was born in November with a heart condition. Three weeks ago, the All-Star closer left the Red Sox with the team's permission to be with Lydia for the second of three surgeries at Boston Children's Hospital. While he was away, teammates wore red T-shirts with the slogan #LydiaStrong as a show of support for the Kimbrels.

Lydia is expected to be released from the hospital within a few weeks, according to Kimbrel. The third surgery won't take place until she's 3 or 4 years old to "straighten up her anatomy so she can grow as a normal child," he said.

In an emotional news conference, Kimbrel expressed his gratitude to the medical staff at Boston Children's Hospital, in addition to the Red Sox for allowing him to leave camp. Kimbrel, a free agent after this season, also noted that he feels fortunate to have access to the medical care in Boston.

"My wife and I talk about it all the time," he said. "We're very strong in our faith. We believe that everything in life happens for a reason, even if we don't understand it at the time."

Although Kimbrel spent most of the past few weeks at the hospital, he was able to steal a few hours each day to work out and throw, usually at nearby Babson College. A few days ago, he threw live batting practice, after Babson coach Matt Noone arranged for hitters to stand in.

"My family comes first and then baseball comes," Kimbrel said. "Stepping away for a few hours was definitely a release. It did help to get in the weight room. It did help to throw the ball. But that's not going to take away the emotions we went through in the hospital.

"She's in a good, comfortable place for me to be down here. If she wasn't, I wouldn't be here."